Documentary traces the history of championship teams
It’s true. One by one, Nebraska’s volleyball players really did eat the fishhead.
That many-times-talked-about, never-before-seen bonding experience in China prior to the 2006 season will forever be linked to the Huskers’ national championship last fall. And now, that memorable dinner will forever be remembered in a documentary produced by NET Television.
A one-hour special, “Nebraska Volleyball: Dream Like a Champion” airs Tuesday at 8 p.m. on NET1 (Lincoln cable channel 12).
Patterned after the popular Husker Century programs on Nebraska football, the volleyball documentary will take fans into places they’ve never been before.
Beyond sitting around the table in China, there’s a glimpse into the locker room following Nebraska’s first national championship victory in 1995 and after the Huskers’ loss in the 2005 final against Washington.
The documentary traces the NU program from that bitter defeat in San Antonio to the national championship last season in Omaha.
But there’s also a look back at the formative days of the program, and the tremendous impacts of Title IX legislation and longtime NU assistant AD Barbara Hibner.
Coaching legend Terry Pettit discusses the transition to current head coach John Cook, saying a lot went into the timing of his decision to step away from the team.
“I was always keeping in mind who the next coach might be, and I felt if we waited another year, it wouldn’t be John,” Pettit says in explaining his decision to recruit Cook back to his staff in 1999 from Wisconsin.
“His kids were in elementary school, they loved Madison and he was building a great program,” Pettit added. “There was a window there, and if I had waited another year, it wouldn’t have happened.”
Cook took over as head coach in 2000, and in the documentary, he says he never enjoyed any part of the Huskers’ win over his former Wisconsin team in the national championship match that season.
There are behind-the-scenes looks into the crushing defeat against Washington in 2005 and the near setback against Minnesota in the regional final that would have taken some of the steam from last year’s final four in Omaha.
Fittingly, the program takes its title from a text message from Dani Mancuso to Cook on the night before last year’s national championship match.
It read, Dream Big. Dream Like a Champion.
“In that moment, I knew if our player who had the most to lose and had the most pressure, was feeling that confident, our team was in a great place,” Cook says. “And she played great.”
Briefly
Nebraska’s match against Michigan State in the Madison Regional semifinal will start at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Spartans are one of six teams in the Sweet 16 to knock off seeded teams in the second round.
Reach Todd Henrichs at 473-7320 or thenrichs@journalstar.com.
That many-times-talked-about, never-before-seen bonding experience in China prior to the 2006 season will forever be linked to the Huskers’ national championship last fall. And now, that memorable dinner will forever be remembered in a documentary produced by NET Television.
A one-hour special, “Nebraska Volleyball: Dream Like a Champion” airs Tuesday at 8 p.m. on NET1 (Lincoln cable channel 12).
Patterned after the popular Husker Century programs on Nebraska football, the volleyball documentary will take fans into places they’ve never been before.
Beyond sitting around the table in China, there’s a glimpse into the locker room following Nebraska’s first national championship victory in 1995 and after the Huskers’ loss in the 2005 final against Washington.
The documentary traces the NU program from that bitter defeat in San Antonio to the national championship last season in Omaha.
But there’s also a look back at the formative days of the program, and the tremendous impacts of Title IX legislation and longtime NU assistant AD Barbara Hibner.
Coaching legend Terry Pettit discusses the transition to current head coach John Cook, saying a lot went into the timing of his decision to step away from the team.
“I was always keeping in mind who the next coach might be, and I felt if we waited another year, it wouldn’t be John,” Pettit says in explaining his decision to recruit Cook back to his staff in 1999 from Wisconsin.
“His kids were in elementary school, they loved Madison and he was building a great program,” Pettit added. “There was a window there, and if I had waited another year, it wouldn’t have happened.”
Cook took over as head coach in 2000, and in the documentary, he says he never enjoyed any part of the Huskers’ win over his former Wisconsin team in the national championship match that season.
There are behind-the-scenes looks into the crushing defeat against Washington in 2005 and the near setback against Minnesota in the regional final that would have taken some of the steam from last year’s final four in Omaha.
Fittingly, the program takes its title from a text message from Dani Mancuso to Cook on the night before last year’s national championship match.
It read, Dream Big. Dream Like a Champion.
“In that moment, I knew if our player who had the most to lose and had the most pressure, was feeling that confident, our team was in a great place,” Cook says. “And she played great.”
Briefly
Nebraska’s match against Michigan State in the Madison Regional semifinal will start at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Spartans are one of six teams in the Sweet 16 to knock off seeded teams in the second round.
Reach Todd Henrichs at 473-7320 or thenrichs@journalstar.com.
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